Editing Essex Fells, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
Essex Fells is governed under the [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected [[direct election|directly]] by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 125.</ref> The borough form of government used by Essex Fells is a "[[weak mayor]] / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can [[veto]] ordinances subject to an [[veto override|override]] by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. [https://www.njlm.org/809/3982/Forms-of-Govt-Magazine-Article "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"], [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]], March 2007. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=6 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 6. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

{{As of|2025}}, the [[mayor]] of Essex Fells is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Edward A. Davis, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025. Members of the Essex Fells Borough Council are Michael W. Cecere (R, 2027), Bernard J. D'Avella III (R, 2026), Carolyn Goldman (R, 2025), John A. King (R, 2026), Margaret D. O'Connor (R, 2025) and William B. Sullivan (R, 2027).<ref name=Officials>[https://www.essexfellsboro.com/directory Directory], Borough of Essex Fells. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref>[https://www.essexfellsboro.com/_Content/pdf/budgets/2024-Introduced-Budget.pdf 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Essex Fells. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref name=EssexDirectory>[https://essexcountynj.org/county-directory/ County Directory], [[Essex County, New Jersey]]. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref name=Essex2024>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Essex/122756/web.345435/#/summary General Election November 5, 2024 Official Results], [[Essex County, New Jersey]], updated November 18, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Essex2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Essex/119027/web.317647/#/summary General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Essex County, New Jersey]], updated November 27, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Essex2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Essex/116147/web.307039/#/summary General Election November 8, 2022 Unofficial Results], [[Essex County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2022. Accessed January 14, 2023.</ref><ref name=Essex2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Essex/111516/web.278093/#/summary General Election November 2, 2021 Unofficial Results], [[Essex County, New Jersey]], updated November 16, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

In November 2014, the borough council appointed Greg Hindy to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Jane McWilliams, until she resigned from office.<ref>[http://www.essexfellsboro.com/web_content/mayor/2015-State-of-the-Borough-Address.pdf State of the Borough Address 2015], Borough of Essex Fells. Accessed July 2, 2016. "Jane served the residents of Essex Fells as a Councilwoman from April 20, 2010 to November 25, 2014.... Several weeks ago, on November 25, 2014, Greg Hindy was sworn in to complete Jane's unexpired term."</ref> In the November 2015 general election, Hindy was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Essex2015>[http://www.essexclerk.com/Election/View/58 2015 General Election Results November 3, 2015], [[Essex County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated April 19, 2016. Accessed July 1, 2016.</ref>